Game ball: Damon Jones
Hear that? Game ball: Damon Jones!
Why? He makes free throws in the final minute.
I love him, too.
The front line, as is Cavs basketball, dominated tonight. 65 points and 28 boards – 10 offensive – for the big 3. Gooden, after a few wince-inducing jumpers, decided it was time to make like Olivia Newton John and get physical. The first half lead is largely attributed to him, coupled with some solid shooting from Hughes and DB.
In the second half – the 4th quarter specifically – Lebron’s passing and Z’s shooting propelled the team. Despite his poor shooting and numerous turnovers, I give Lebron lots of credit for tonight’s game. He was in attack mode, putting pressure on the defense to create shots, and, more importantly, his defense was stellar. He has an incredible knack for coming from the top of the key to defend against wing players coming around a curl. Additionally, he can play up on shooters when he chooses to, because if once a player gets by him, his length and timing make him a threat to block the shot.
Special mention also goes to Ira Newble. I still can’t make heads or tails of when Coach Mike decides to use him. It looks like he’s playing our small ball power forward, at the moment. With no need to worry about Tim Thomas inside, Newble was able to get onto the floor with Lebron for a while tonight. With his willingness to throw his body into traffic and knack for rolling into passing lanes, he provides a great presence inside without needing to be strong and physical. Essentially, he plays the role of Andy-lite. I expect he’ll start seeing more minutes since he’s played far more effectively than Dwayne Jones or Cedric Simmons. Tonight he played so well, that he kept Gooden off the floor, despite Gooden’s huge numbers, for most of the 4th quarter.
With limited minutes tonight for Boobie, Hughes and Gooden, we should be in good shape tomorrow in Denver.
Go Cavs!
